[Provisional Translation]

The Government will hold the Ceremony to Commemorate the Third Anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake from 2:30 PM on March 11 at the National Theatre.
It will soon be three years since the Great East Japan Earthquake struck, bringing unprecedented damage to our nation, centered on the Tohoku region.
I am overwhelmed by heart-rending thoughts even now when I reflect on the profound grief of the bereaved who lost their beloved family members as a result of this earthquake.
The Government will accelerate its efforts still further to bring about reconstruction from the Great East Japan Earthquake at the earliest possible time.  At the same time, we will move forward in building a resilient nation, etching the lessons learned from this disaster firmly into our minds and preparing for future disasters of various kinds. 
To express our mourning for all the victims of this disaster, we will offer a minute of silent prayer in the ceremony hall at 2:46 PM on the day of the commemorative ceremony and pray for the repose of their souls.  I ask the public also to observe a moment of silence, wherever they may be, in concert with this.

Shinzo Abe
Chairman of the Ceremony
The Memorial Ceremony to Mark the Third Anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake
Prime Minister of Japan
February 25, 2014